In UFC 168‘s second preliminary bout, slight underdog and up-and-coming Brazilian William “Patolino” Macario roughed up grizzled veteran Bobby Voelker for a unanimous-decision win.
Macario broke Voelker‘s nose and nearly finished him in the first round before putting a steady thumping on the bloody former Strikeforce slugger for the rest of the way.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
Macario hurt Voelker midway through the first round with a stiff combination, putting the Kansas City native on the defense for the remainder of the stanza.
Patolino used an edge in speed, athleticism and striking prowess to pick Voelker apart for three rounds. Macario helped cement the win with takedowns at the end of each round.
What We Learned About Macario
The 22-year-old Macario looked drastically improved from his first UFC bout, a second-round submission loss to Leonardo Santos at UFC on Fuel TV 10.
Although he failed to control Voelker on the ground, Patolino showed explosive takedown chops, smooth and powerful striking techniques and impressive cardio.
The once-beaten Team Black House product also displayed nifty footwork and head movement and a sturdy chin.
What We Learned About Voelker
Although equally tough, the 34-year-old Voelker looked slightly slower and less ambitious than he did in his last bout against Robbie Lawler.
Voelker has lost three in a row and may receive his walking papers following this disappointing setback to a younger and less experienced fighter.
What’s Next for Macario
He scored a slight upset in his first UFC win, but Macario still has a long way to go before he can consider taking on top-10 UFC welterweights.
If the UFC wants to challenge Macario without putting him in a tremendous mismatch, it should pit him against Zak Cummings or Jordan Mein.
What’s Next for Voelker
Before falling to Lawler, Voelker dropped a hard-fought unanimous decision to Patrick Cote at UFC 158.
Because UFC president Dana White loves hard-working scrappers like Voelker, Vicious may get one more crack at sticking around.
A matchup against a less competitive foe like Nate Loughran or Yan Cabral would make sense for the struggling Voelker.
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